From a distance, the storm's chaos has a majestic beauty, but on the ground it's a different story.

Isaac was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane from a topical storm on Tuesday and first made landfall in southeastern Louisiana Tuesday night. On the ground, water "overtopped" levees, and wind gusts up to 75 mph were recorded.

New Orleans' Louis Armstrong Airport remained closed Wednesday as the storm pummeled the Gulf Coast on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.